Glen Roy Land Management Plan Summary
Glen Roy Forest is located between 100 m and 350 m above sea level on a tributary valley of Glen Spean, to the NE of the village of Roy Bridge and about 12 miles North of Fort William. The LMP area extends to 2,062 ha, of which 480 ha is forested, including 81 ha of ancient woodland. Most of the LMP area (74%) is open ground surrounding the forest, which is owned by FLS but grazed by two crofting associations – Inveroy Crofters and Bohunting Crofters.
Managed as a commercial conifer forest to produce a sustainable timber supply for local and distant markets, the land was purchased in 1959 from two separate owners and was planted primarily in the 1960’s and 1970’s, with some of the earlier plantings since clear felled and restocked over the last 10 - 20 years. Sitka spruce is the predominant species (47%) with Lodgepole pine (33%) and a small proportion of broadleaves and other conifer species present.
Situated close to the village, the area is used locally by walkers who make use of the forest roads, especially at the southern end close to the main road. Access here is complex, with vehicle access to houses sharing the same route as the first part of the forest road. There is no designated Public Right of Way and no formal / waymarked trails within the forested area.
Despite its proximity to the village, most of the forest is not visible from the main road (A86) or surrounding settlements, with the exception of the SE margins and long views of the forest block from surrounding hill summits. The forest is small scale within the landscape. The land subject to crofting lies around the fringe of the wooded area, which is fenced and in some places this has led to hard forest edges running perpendicular to the contours.
A large part of the LMP area lies within the Parallel Roads of Lochaber SSSI. The landform and deposits in Glen Roy, Glen Gloy and Glen Spean are an internationally important part of Scotland’s Earth heritage, which form the clearest evidence in Britain for the formation and catastrophic drainage of a series of ice dammed lakes at the end of the last glaciation. Activities such as road and track construction can have a negative local impact on these features, which can be cumulative over time.
The Battle of Mulroy Registered Battlefield lies within the LMP area although no permanent features can be seen and there are several other heritage features associated with habitation, such as sheilings, pits and sheep folds - but most lie outwith forest operational areas.
There are two water bodies – Allt Lonndrain and the River Roy-Spean to River Turret confluence – in the vicinity of the LMP area and an underlying groundwater and local drinking water protected area. Forestry operations and engineering activities must protect the status of these hydrological features, which are all currently assessed as Good.
Glen Roy LMP was approved on 03/07/2012 and runs for 10 years.
The lack of roads at the time of planting meant that the first rotation crops were not thinned and these are now well past the age where thinning is feasible. Second rotation crops will be thinned where possible and where stands are sufficiently sheltered, in the eastern and southern parts of the forest. Although Sitka spruce will remain the predominant species, diversity will be improved by restocking with a wider range of conifer species where soils and other site conditions are suitable and through planting and natural regeneration of broadleaved species in riparian zones and linking areas of ASNW/ PAWS.
Structural diversity will also be improved through design and timing of felling and restocking coupes. The felling and restock pattern will diversify the boundary between the forest edge and open ground, improving the overall quality and landscape context of the area. Several small forest blocks to the East are separated from the main body of the forest and their size and shape do not fit well in the landscape. There is currently no access route for felling these coupes and a new forest road is required. The roadline will need to accommodate the SSSI Parallel Roads feature that runs along the hillside here. Opportunities to improve the eastern edge of the forest will be considered through discussion with the crofters.
The primary objectives for the plan area are
Continue to produce a sustainable supply of marketable timber Construct forest roads to access felling coupes and resolve access to inaccessible coupes on the eastern side of the forest Increase age, species and structural diversity through design and timing of felling and restock coupes and species choices at restocking Maintain and expand the areas of SNW and strengthen riparian corridors by planting / regenerating with native broadleaves Improve landscape and amenity through restructuring the forest edge where this is possible Liaise with the crofting communities to improve the forest margins, resolve access to less accessible coupes and support crofting practices.
Total Plan Area 2062.1 hectares (ha)
Summary of Land Management Plan Proposals
Species Breakdown (current) (end of plan period) Sitka spruce 247 ha (12%) 218 (11%)
Birch and other broadleaves 41 ha (2%) 62 ha (3%) Scots pine 0.1 ha Lodgepole pine 165 ha (8%) 94 ha (5%) Larch and other conifers 21 (1%) 62 ha (3%) Open space 1588 ha (77%) 1608 ha (78%)
Planned Operations 2012– 2022 plan period
Felling 155 ha Thinning
Restocking New planting Road construction 2200 m (extending to Allt a Choire Ceirsle)
Road upgrades Significant Environment / Conservation Features Designated sites Parallel Roads SSSI Glen Roy NNR (outwith LMP area) Braeroy to Glenshirra-Creag Meagaidh Wild Land Area (N section of LMP area but outwith forested area)
Minimum Intervention 38.45 ha (since revised to 7.71 ha) Natural Reserve Black grouse Priority Species
Critical Success Factors:
Deer control to enable successful establishment of young planted and naturally regenerating trees Road construction; suitable access to enable the felling and subsequent management of the free- standing coupes on the eastern side of the forest Design of felling coupes to avoid exacerbating the risk of windblow in remaining coupes Early implementation of a thinning programme in restocked coupes, particularly in areas identified for CCF and in areas of productive broadleaved restocking / natural regeneration Selection of restock species suitable for site conditions
Consultation and Further Information: Council area and Community Council: Highland Council; Spean, Roy Bridge and Achnacarry Community Councils Consultation: Internal consultation during March 2012; Public consultation online between early January and late April 2012 (274 Unique Page Views) and advertised in the locally delivered free magazine Lochaber Life. Consultees: Highland Council, SNH, SEPA, Community Councils, Historic Scotland, Roybridge Angling Club; two members of the public.
For further information on the Plan, please contact:
Location Map